Several people have asked about starting a web site. I thought it
might be helpful to anyone who wants to launch a web site to understand what you need to
know and what your webmaster needs to know about your business.
Step One - Before you call a webmaster, focus on you and your business. For example,
don’t expect a prospective webmaster to define your business and decide for you what
you want to do. The webmaster’s job is to develop your presence on the web, the way
you want it. So, it is up to you to know what you want. Define your business so the
webmaster can work with you.
Step Two - Once you have your business in focus, visit the World Wide Web (Internet),
and look up your competition. See what is being done, decide on what you like, copy it and
show it to your webmaster. I am not talking content here, content is up to you. Have some
idea about the layout you like, or how a page is put together, such as frames, tables,
pictures, animations and sound.
Step Three - Decide what kind of presence on the web you want. You can provide
information for customers about your business, your services, or items for sale. Or, you
can have on-line forms that customers print out and mail in, or set up for actual on-line
credit card purchases. Your decision is based on your kind of business. For example, if
you sell candy or notions, which are nonperishable, you might want to set up credit card
transactions on the web.
Step Four - Pick out a webmaster. A webmaster’s job is to design web pages, set
up your presence on the web (such as a domain name), make sure that all aspects of the web
site, such as links, are in good working order, and to advertise your site on the web.
It is not necessary for the webmaster to hold your point of view on religion, sexual
orientation, or political persuasion in order to do a very nice web site for your
business. For example you do not have to have a Ph.D. in psychology to produce a very nice
web site for a psychologist. But, if you expect the webmaster to write your copy, draw
your pictures, and otherwise have influence in the site beyond what you bring to it,
knowledge of the field is helpful. Also be aware that the webmaster expects to be paid
extra for extra services.
Step Five - Negotiate a price. A webmaster may give you a basic price per page, per
link, per picture upload, or may evaluate the price based on an hourly rate. Any extras,
such as gif animations, original artwork, original sound, or video, are usually figured
separately, and added to the basic price.
Grammatical mistakes in data you send to a webmaster are your responsibility. The
webmaster will charge extra to correct it. If a webmaster is writing your copy for you, he
or she will send you a proof by email or hard (written) copy. That is standard for
any graphic artist or printer as well.
Be aware, that, even if a webmaster did not charge you for his or her original artwork,
and you use it anyway, it may not be yours. Watch out for copyright laws, whether artwork
is created for you or you “borrow” it from other web sites. Before you use it,
make sure it is not copyrighted material.
The better focused you are, and the more clear and precise, the better your
website will look, and the more business you will have, on the web or not. See Part II
next month.
More columns by Marilyn Ellis
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